This was posted a month or so back, but I can't find the original thread? Great deals anyways. Don't be put off by 'refurb' as I bought a SE T715 from them a few months back and it was in a brand new condition, in an unbranded box..

The HTC Hero won ‘Gadget of the Year’ at this year’s Stuff Awards, and ‘Phone of the Year’ at the T3 Gadget Awards. It’s our first mobile to run Google’s Android software and features a 3.2” highly responsive LCD touchscreen and 5.0 megapixel camera.
This mobile offers a fantastic internet experience. You can personalise your HTC Hero with several widgets, seven home screens and thousands of apps from Android Market. Facebook® and Twitter® are preloaded, with ‘photo upload’ built into the phonebook. Plus, the HTC Hero comes with built-in Skype - so you can make free Skype-to-Skype calls from the UK on 3.
And because our network was designed and built for the Mobile Internet, we’ve teamed up with Spotify to bring you the option of Spotify Premium on the HTC Hero. Spotify is one of the world’s most talked-about digital music services and gives you access to millions of tracks, so you can play your favourite music on your computer or on your mobile, with no need to download before you listen.

Finally got it after much ado from the sales people regarding whether I really exist and live somewhere...Anyway, since the offer was extended through August I would recommend you buy one - it looks very good, no scratches.So, hoping this helps someone save time with the Android 2.1 update:- there is no OTA update while using the 3 UK firmware, 2.73.771.23- you cannot root using the usual methods like 1click flasg, theunlockr, unrevokable, flashreg etc because the ROM is just patched against that- this is the (only) method that worked: search this "[HOWTO] Create a GoldCard - Bypassing the RUU/SPL CID check to Root/Downgrade" in this thread: http://androidforums.com/all-things-root-hero/54802-how-root-install-custom-rom-backup-more.html#post454701- it involves creating a gold card - please read a wiki or something - it is very well explained in 20 steps: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=572683- the gold card is actually what your SD card that becomes by you patching it's boot record, and it validates you to be able to perform a manual HTC firmware upgrade- from the same thread, you will find the link to download the generic HTC ROM 2.73.405.5 - which is actually a downgrade, but will:1. make possible to use the rooting or recovery methods that didn't work on the 3 ROM (like 1click root etc)2. offer you the OTA upgrade to Android 2.1 (http://www.htc.com/uk/faqs.aspx?p_id=283&cat=86&id=136932 - not a obvious link on their site!)I chose not to root my phone, I was only interested in the Android 2.1 ROM, which was you see not available while using the 3 branded ROM.There are 2 OTA downloads, 1st is 4MB 2nd is 79MB, my phone just restarted now and is finishing the update.Disclaimer: use at own risk, do a backup, don't blame me for whatever you do, etc...BTW the brand new HTC Hero is £349 in store :-)

So how did the 2.1 update go? Does this now mean that the phone is unlocked? Sorry, I don't use android so I'm a newbie to this rooting business.

just watch these sharks, had a T715 payg and had 4 faults in 6 months (same one) said wanted phone replacing as not fit sales goods act all that and all they will do is repair it or ofer a goodwill of a £40 Nokia.
Claim as phone is used now only worth half the value i paid for it

go to ebay, search "htc hero unlock".
some links will come up, go with the ones around the £6-7 mark.

i went with the seller "express-codes", ended up being £7.50 as supposedly my phone was one of the newer ones that cost more after he checked my imei.
usually, id think he was trying to have me on, but ive used that seller before, with a htc hero, and it was cheaper than this 3 hero to unlock, so i believe it.

I got my Hero yesterday as a replacement for my Nokia N97 which I'm still on a contract with until March. I've not upgraded the Firmware - it's still running 1.5.

However, it is unbelievably better than the N97. I'm very pleased. I'm going to get rid of the N97 with one of the recycling websites, and with Quidco, this handset will result in a net spend of less than £20. There's still the pay as you go sim with £10 credit on it too.

I upgraded to 2.1 by the gold card method last week. Go fed up with waiting for 3 to sort their S*** out over the upgrade. As soon as you goldcard method back rev's it, the updates come thick and fast.

2.1 is alot faster for web browsing and has alot more apps on the market,
I like this phone alot, well worth the money, only criticism would be the screen is not big enough and the camera without a flash is very limited.